Lexus LF-NX Concept Compact SUV with 2.0 litre turbo petrol at Tokyo

The Lexus LF-NX Concept – a smaller SUV/Crossover – which debuted at Frankfurt will be on show at the Tokyo Motor Show with a new 2.0 litre petrol engine.

The Lexus LF-NX Concept debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and certainly made a statement.

Lexus’ efforts to create an SUV/Crossover to sit below the RX and mop up some of the ever-growing demand for more compact SUVs tried hard to do the whole ‘Ugly but appealing’ school of design the Nissan Juke pulled off, but pretty much failed.

There were some good ideas running around, but there were just too many jarring angles on the bodywork and not enough cuteness to love and the interior was very ‘concepty’ with a sea of blue and yellow everything and touchscreen surfaces abounding. But…

But we could see a tamed down version – with a less jarring exterior and an interior more akin to Lexus latest interiors – going down a storm, even with a Hobson’s choice of a 2.5 litre hybrid powertrain.

So the news that Lexus are taking the LF-NX Concept to Tokyo this month does seem to make it clear that this is a model Lexus want to take to production, and the fitting of a new powerplant for the LF-NX for Tokyo does show Lexus are exploring options.

Instead of a hybrid powerplant, the latest LF-NX Concept gets a 2.0 litre petrol turbo. Lexus aren’t letting on what sort of output the 2.0 litre has, but it’s a sensible route to explore.

And it’s all pointing to a new compact Lexus SUV/Crossover by 2015.